William J. McVay

3/7/1944 — 12/3/2016

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William J. McVay passed away at age 72 on Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, from sepsis.

William was born March 7, 1944, to James N. and Martha Dennler McVay in Lewiston. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1962.

Bill, as he was known to his friends, married Lucrissa "Criss" Kathryn Starnes on Oct. 3, 1964. They had two children, William Jr. and Melissa. Their marriage ended in divorce. He then married Velma Bonner in 1986, and that marriage ended in divorce as well.

Bill joined the U.S. Air Force after he graduated from high school and was active duty until 1966 while stationed in Great Falls, Mont. In 1967, he completed air traffic control school and became an air traffic control specialist. He first worked in Moses Lake, Wash., and transferred to Lewiston in 1974, where he lived until he passed on. In May 1989, Bill was in a serious motorcycle accident that left him in a wheelchair and forced his retirement from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Bill had a great love for fishing and boating, spending many days on the Snake River, but his greatest love was building and flying model airplanes and gliders, a passion he shared with his son. Every summer he traveled all over the Northwest and Canada to fly his planes.

He was a member of the Lewis Clark R/C Model Club, Inland Empire Quiet Flyers, Northwest Soaring Society, Academy of Model Aeronautics and various other clubs. He enjoyed teaching the boys and girls at Northwest Children's Home to build and fly model planes.

Bill is survived by his children, William (Cherryl) McVay of Lewiston and Melissa (Rich) Buttenhoff of Auburn, Wash.; his two sisters, Janice Selland of Grand Coulee, Wash., and JoAnn (Michael) Hill of Lewiston; and one brother, Robert McVay. He had four grandchildren, Chaley, Alyssa, Bradyn and Kaleb; and one great-grandson, Cayden. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Cremation has taken place per Bill's request. A memorial service will be at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate in memory of Bill to the Lewis Clark R/C Model Club, P.O. Box 621, Lewiston, ID 83501.

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